Duramax Won't Start

Roadlover,

I agree that most likely you either have a small crack in the fuel filter housing or the bleeder screw on the bottom has loosened a bit. There's a screw in the bottom with a locknut (jamnut) to keep it tight. Not real easy to reach or get a wrench/plier on, but you can. We had ours loosen and bleed the fuel out and then it sucked air. Scary when the engine won't start! The engine simply won't start or keep running if there's air in the line. We'd just had the filter replaced before we left Michigan on our trip to Florida in 2010 so it's obvious the lock nut wasn't retightened properly which allowed the bleeder screw to back out a little.

Tighten the bleeder screw snug and then tighten the locknut. Be reasonable on how much pressure you put on the screw and the lock nut. Tighten but don't strip it or break the housing. Our's is plastic and it could be easily broken by overtightening way too much. Prime fill the filter by repeatedly pushing the plunger on top a lot as said. If it doesn't start right up, prime it some more. If I rememebr correctly, each time I primed it I pushed the plunger about 25 times. Ours had to be primed 3 times and after the 3rd time it started right up and never had it happen again. I check the lock nut a couple times a year now.

Be sure to check under the filter area for dripped fuel a few times the next few days.

Plugging it in overnight can only help too. You get a lot colder up there bt the Straits than we do here about 200 miles south and I have never once plugged our 2004.5 D/A in yet nor the purchased new 1984 GM 6.2 diesel we had for 7 years and they always started instantly in the winter. Of course, we very seldom ever get down to zero F here.

If you have summer fuel in it, your gelled. Get some anti gel additive in her.
My tractor did that exact same thing a couple of years ago setting outside in sub zero temps. Put a little plug in heater under it for a couple of hours sure helped but she ran rough for a couple of minutes then did fine. It's now parked inside a heated garage for winter snow removal duties.
I seem to remember some glow plug issues, just don't remember which brand/ year it was :H
Yeah guys I know, I can eliminate one brand :W

Reason the glow plug light only comes on for a quick second now is because after being plugged in for that many hours, the engine is at a good operating temperature and it doesn't need a long glow plug delay to warm things up.

It is like running to the store, coming out, the engine is still warm and doesn't need the glow plugs to start it.

Normal operation and nothing to worry about.

power service 911(red bottle) keep a bottle behind the seat in case it gels up on you. sometime have to pull the fuel filter and fill it also. Works awesome if that is your issue. I know alot of guys say the diesel is fine without additives but I have gelled mine up a few times when I forgot to get a new jug of power service off the shelf.

Yeah-I agree-sounds to me like you may be gelled up-burned what could get to the injectors and that's it...

If you can't get it inside, filling your fuel filter with 911 may be an option(an a SD you fill the bowl or filter depending on setup.) This will offset how much you have to warm it up too.

Have you gotten fuel in the last 2 months? If not definitely frozen-although even if you have just a little moisture at 0 can shut you down.

I've used a torpedo heater blowing under the truck along with it being plugged in to assist as well. Think I even stuck a 1500 watt heater under the hood and draped blankets over the truck to help warm one up! ;)

It's supposed to warm up some later this week across the country so ultimately if you have patience that may do the trick...but add some type of supplement to the tank at that point anyhow.

Try not to burn up your starter/batteries-it can be very tempting...

I had that happen to me once a number of years ago.

I drove into a restaurant parking lot with a friend, went in for a meal, and came out to leave.

It did exactly the same thing you described.

Long story short, I started poking around and saw some fuel on the ground, right below the fuel filter.

I got in there to look, and some stupid dipsnot who must have know about dmax's reached in over the front tire and opened the drain cock on the bottom of my filter housing.

I cranked it back shut, and the truck started right up and never had another issue.

Can't believe somebody would do that!

I relate this story because perhaps, as mentioned above, you have an issue with your fuel filter causing the injector pump to suck air.

You likely have a crack in your fuel filter housing. Your engine started on the fuel in the lines, but because the fuel filter was empty, the engine ran out of fuel soon after. Reprime the fuel filter with pump on top. It should run after this, but will probably empty again over time when unused.

I would get it indoors first in a heated garage and if thats not posible, plug it in and leave it overnight. I would also pour in a 16 oz bottle of Stanadyne Premium fuel treatment tonight if you have it. Then tomorrow, pull the fuel filter and replace it with a new fuel filter. Make sure you pump all of the air out of the fuel system after you replace the filter. Then, give'er another try. It sounds to me like you may have some fuel gelling going on somewhwere in the fuel system or possibly air in the fuel system. Sub-zero cold air can make strange things happen sometimes. Good luck.

Happy camping!!! See y'all down the road!!!:)